Jesse Hall Trail
Loebner Magnolia – Magnolia x loebneri
This magnolia is a cross between Kobus and Star Magnolias both of which are native to Japan. It grows 20 to 30 feet tall and can have a greater spread. The white, star-shaped flowers are fragrant and bloom very early in the spring.
Adopted by Jacquelyn K. Jones
Robinson Crabapple – Malus sp. ‘Robinson’
This cultivar is highly resistant to the common crabapple diseases of fire blight, apple scab, mildew and rust. Growing to 25 feet in height, it has crimson flower buds that open to pink, dark-red fruit and bronze-green foliage.
For my favorite teacher, Kathy Unrath - Rob Unrath
Village Green Japanese Zelkova – Zelkova serrata ‘Village Green’
A native of Japan, this large, vase-shaped tree is a good choice for lawn or street planting. The rusty-red fall color and peeling mottled bark on older trees adds to its appeal.
Adopted in Memory of Jean Woolsey Utz, 1918-1979
Ivory Chalice Magnolia – Magnolia x 'Ivory Chalice'
This tree is a cross between Magnolia acuminata and Magnolia denudata with large cream-coloredchalice-shaped flowers.
Serviceberry – Amelanchier canadensis
This small multi-stem tree bears white flowers in early spring followed by blueberry-like fruit in summer. The fruit was once used by Native Americans in bread-making and is a pleasant addition to pies, pudding, and muffins. Its orange-red fall color and delicate outline in winter make this a valuable landscape plant.
Honoring Fran Malloy's 35 Years of Service to MU 2006
Ginkgo – Gingko biloba
According to fossil records, this is a deciduous conifer of ancient lineage and the only species within the genus. It is nearly disease-free, adaptable to most soils, air-pollution tolerant and has bright-yellow fall color. It is recommended to plant only male trees as the female of the species produces a messy fruit with a foul smell.
In Memory of Dana Marie Cunningham - Class of 1995
Pin Oak – Quercus palustris
A very popular landscape tree that is easily transplanted and fast-growing. Its pyramidal shape and drooping lower branches give it a distinctive form. Planting in alkaline soils can cause iron chlorosis, a significant problem in this area.
Adopted by Ross & Florence Anderson
Virginia Pine – Pinus virginiana
Virginia Pine is one of the first trees to appear on a site after fire in its native range of the Eastern United States. It has the ability to spread quickly over dry, nutrient-poor sites and is an important Christmas tree in southern states.
Autumn Purple Ash – Fraxinus Americana ‘Autumn Purple’
Autumn Purple Ash is a fast-growing, large shade tree with outstanding reddish-purple fall color. This cultivar of our native white ash is a good tree for large areas. The confirmation of Emerald Ash Borer (always fatal) in Missouri has curtailed our planting of ash trees on campus.
Mexican White Pine – Pinus ayacahuite
This pine is a Mexican and Central American native growing in mountainous regions, hardy to 5a. It grows 100 feet tall in full sun.
American Beech – Fagus grandifolia
This large-growing tree is a major component of the eastern hardwood forest. It’s smooth, gray bark is very distinctive and especially attractive in winter. The thin bark and shallow root system make it susceptible to death from fire.
Cucumbertree Magnolia – Magnolia acuminata
Cucumbertree is a large growing tree with greenish-yellow flowers in late spring. Its common name comes from the appearance of its immature fruit. It is fast-growing and adaptable to our calcareous soils but difficult to transplant.
To honor the love of Margaret and Lindy Tarwater
Purpleleaf Oak – Quercus petraea 'Purpurea'
This rare cultivar is a slow growing medium sized tree to about 50 feet. The dark purple foliage is held throughout the summer.
Black Gum – Nyssa sylvatica
This specimen tree has a dependable and beautiful crimson fall color. It is difficult to transplant but adaptable to variety of locations including heavy clays and moist soils. It is often found in the Ozark upland forests.
Adopted by Robin and George Kennedy to celebrate 40 years.
Golden Raintree – Koelreuteria paniculata
Yellow flowers in summer and papery, lantern-like fruit pods in the fall make this medium- sized shade tree an attractive specimen for the home lawn. A native of China and Korea, this fast-growing tree can tolerate heat and drought, but should be sited carefully as it is a prolific seeder.
Conrad F. Meier, beloved husband, father and grandfather
Vandewolf’s Pine – Pinus flexilis ‘Vandewolf’
This limber pine, easily transplanted and soil-adaptable, is a good choice of coniferous evergreen for this area. Its blue needle color is more pronounced than on others of its species.
Adopted by Ms. Alice Donaldson
Chinkapin Oak – Quercus muehlenbergii
This strong-wooded oak will grow to 50 feet in height and is tolerant of alkaline soil. It is difficult to transplant and rarely grown in nurseries. This Missouri native is often found growing on Ozark glades.
Adopted by Susan 'Sue' Thornhill Selfless, Full of Faith & Love
Black Walnut – Juglans nigra
Black Walnut grows into a large, upright and spreading tree which is best planted in natural areas because of the large, messy nuts it produces. It is a highly valued North American hardwood for furniture, gun stocks and veneer. Missouri is the leading producer of black walnut nut meat, whose distinctive flavor is found in ice cream and candies.
Adopted by Kee W. and Diana S. Groshong
Silver Linden – Tilia tomentosa
This native of southeastern Europe and western Asia has dense foliage making it a good shade tree and in late June the fragrant, yellow flowers add interest. Silky hairs, which give the foliage a silver appearance and its common name, cover the underside of the leaves.
Sycamore – Platanus occidentalis
As one of our Missouri native woodland giants, this tree grows 100 feet or more in height. Its exfoliating bark on the upper trunk is distinctive and beautiful. Sycamore is susceptible to a non-threatening disease that causes dropping of leaves and twigs after leaf emergence.
Adopted by Wally Pfefffer - MU, Chamber and Columbia Volunteer
Swamp White Oak – Quercus bicolor
Swamp White Oak is a medium-sized shade tree that can withstand wet soil conditions, yet displays a great degree of tolerance for drought. The bark on its smaller limbs often peels away in papery shreds.
In honor of Ron Neely's Service to MU
Black Maple – Acer nigrum
This is a Missouri native tree that is more tolerant of poor growing conditions than the closely related Sugar Maple which it resembles. This particular tree is the Missouri State champion for size.
Paperbark Maple – Acer griseum
This slow-growing tree sports cimmanom reddish/brown peeling bark. It is a small sized oval headed tree to 40 feet tall. The fall foliage is a showy orange-reddish to purple color.
European Filbert – Corylus avellana
This hazelnut is predisposed to forming a thicket of erect stems but can be shaped into a small tree if desired. It is mainly grown for its nut which is highly prized in Europe. Oregon is the hub of nut production for the U.S.
Adopted by Gary and Glenda Filbert
White Fir – Abies concolor
This slow growing, conical, 40-50 foot evergreen tree is native to the southwestern United States. Its cones grow upright on the branch and its needles, which curve upward, can have a bluish cast similar to Blue Spruce. It is somewhat difficult to transplant but, once established, tolerates Midwestern conditions well.
In memory of my mom, LaVerne Taylor Welsh
Loblolly Pine – Pinus taeda
Loblolly Pine is the leading commercial timber tree in the South and a major species in paper-making. Even though it is most useful for lumber and paper products, this fast-growing tree is also popular as a screen.
Baldcypress – Taxodium distichum
This deciduous conifer is a wonderful ornamental for large areas. It is native to the wetlands of southeast Missouri where it may develop ‘knees’, woody knobs of root rising above water level. The wood is valued for its resistance to decay and is used for shingles, railroad ties and bridge beams.
Adopted in Honor of George A. Lyons
Southern Magnolia – Magnolia grandiflora
This large slow-growing, broadleaf evergreen tree produces creamy-white, fragrant flowers as large as 13 inches in diameter in the early summer. Our climate zone is the northern limit for Southern Magnolia and it does best with protection from winter winds.
In Honor of Dr. and Mrs. William H. Taft
Sweetbay Magnolia – Magnolia virginiana
This small, often multi-stem tree has highly fragrant flowers from May through June. Sweetbay is a good choice for wet, acidic soils but is also able to grow in ordinary garden conditions.
Canadian Hemlock – Tsuga canadensis
This large, pyramidal, needle-leaved evergreen has a graceful appearance and is adaptable to growing in shade or sun, though not drought tolerant. This tree can be sheared to create a formal hedge.
Adopted by the James Forward family
Shantung Maple – Acer truncatum
Shantung Maple is a medium-small tree from East Asia that is drought and heat tolerant. The star shaped foliage is reddish in spring with a fall color palette of yellow-orange-red.
Autumn Blaze Red Maple – Acer x freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’
This selection is a hybrid of red maple and silver maple. Its leaf shape and fast growth rate are more like that of silver maple. Fall color is a good orange to red and comes from the red maple influence.
In honor of Dean Mills 8th Dean of the School of Journalism
Rotundiloba Sweetgum – Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Rotundiloba’
This cultivar provides the benefits of our Missouri native Sweetgum without the spiny fruit. It is a more narrow tree and fall color varies from yellow to red. The lobes of the leaves are rounded instead of pointy, as in the species.
Dawn Redwood – Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Once believed extinct, the Dawn Redwood was found in 1941 in the Szechwan Province of China. It is a fast-growing, tall, conical tree suited for planting in open areas. The deciduous foliage turns rusty orange in the fall and the bark is cinnamon colored.
Adopted by Hugh and Wanda Barnes
Japanese Snowbell – Styrax japonicus
A small tree with low, horizontal branches and, in May and June, fragrant, white pendulous flowers. This graceful tree is an excellent choice for a small planting area.
In loving memory of Susan Johnson
Shellbark Hickory – Carya laciniosa
This Missouri naïve tree is most notable for long strips of bark that curve away from the trunk on older plants. Its large nuts are sweet and its strong, hard wood is used for tool handles, ladder rungs and sports equipment.
Adopted by Pat and Richard Wallace
Tricolor Beech – Fagus sylvatica ‘Tricolor’
This large, slow-growing beech has splendid pink and purple leaves on young leaves which then change to green and white for summer. The color variegation is bright enough that the tree appears to be flowering.
Adopted by Joe and Darlene Schroeder
Korean Fir - Abies koreana
This pyramidal evergreen conifer can grow to 50 feet. Korean Fir grows best in moist but well drained slightly acidic soil in sun to part shade. The upright purple cones produced at an early age add much ornamental interest.
Cleveland Select Pear – Pyrus calleryana ‘Cleveland Select’
This cultivar, with its strong branching habit is a good substitute for Bradford Pear. It transplants easily and is adaptable to most soils. The fall color is yellow-orange, mottled with red. However, it is recommended that we plant no more Callery pear cultivars because they are hybridizing with each other and producing an invasive wild population of hybrid trees that invade our woodlands.
Dedicated in appreciation of Pat Schwartz
Yellow Buckeye – Aesculus flava
Yellow buckeye is one of the largest of the buckeyes and produces six-inch yellow flower panicles in June. The large nuts are inedible because they contain a poisonous substance called aesculin. However, the American Indians are said to have eaten these high-starch nuts after roasting, peeling and mashing and leaching them for several days. Its leaves turn a soft pumpkin orange in the fall.
Shumard Oak – Quercus shumardii
A Missouri native with a tall, straight trunk that is difficult to distinguish from Pin Oak, Scarlet Oak and Red Oak. It is valued for its timber and ranges extensively throughout the South.
Adopted by the Tom and Susan Flood family
Tuliptree – Liriodendron tulipifera
Tuliptree is a fast-growing shade tree suited to open areas and exhibiting golden-yellow fall color. In spring, it develops greenish-yellow flowers shaped like tulips, from which it gets its common name. Also known as yellow poplar, it is one of the lightest hardwoods and is used for furniture, boxes and crates.
Adopted in memory of Charles H. Utz, 1951-1992
English Oak – Quercus robur
This majestic European species has been honored in song and story since ancient times. It is a massive, slow-growing species with a short trunk and wide-spreading branches. Its wood was once used by the British for support beams in ships and castles.
Adopted by Vester & Gertrude Vieth
Canary American Holly – Ilex opaca ‘Canary’
This cultivar is a variety of American Holly (see # Memorial Union Loop) and notable for its yellow, berry-like fruit. Its glossy, evergreen leaves and persistent fruit make it a valuable addition to the winter landscape.
30 Years, John L. Durnell, Dr. Richard R. Eaton
Colorado Blue Spruce – Picea pungens
This attractive tree is native to the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains. It is adaptable to many soil types and the spruce-of-choice for landscaping. Its blue color, which varies between plants, is due to a waxy cuticle layer on the needles.
Adopted in memory of Owen Shiery
European Horsechestnut – Aesculus hippocastanum ‘Baumannii’
European Horsechestnut, a native of the Balkan Peninsula, is a popular tree grown throughout the Eastern United States. It can grow from 80 to 100 feet tall which makes it most suitable for large landscape spaces. The cultivar, Baumannii, has double, white-flowering panicles that range from 5 inches to 12 inches in length and does not produce the characteristic buckeye fruit of the species (see # Memorial Union Loop).
Adopted by Larry Edwards
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood – Cornus mas
This small multi-stem tree is remarkable for its yellow blossoms in March which are among the first of spring. Its bright-red fruit is valued in Asia for making desserts, preserves, soft drinks and wines. The colorful mottled bark on older plants adds winter interest.
Adopted by Anne Ramsay Downs
Red Oak – Quercus rubra
Red Oak is a fast-growing tree, suited to large open areas. The excellent reddish fall color is an attractive feature. It is an important source of wood used commercially for flooring, furniture, veneer and interior trim.
Adopted by the Smith family: Joan, Dale and Colin
Fairview Norway Maple – Acer platanoides ‘Fairview’
This is a popular landscape tree imported from Scandinavia with a rounded form that reaches 50 feet in height. It tolerates poor soils and air pollution, and provides solid shade that inhibits growth of grass under its canopy. The cultivar ‘Fairview’ has leaves that emerge reddish purple then turn bronze-green by summer.
Adopted by Dr. Harold and Marie Jeffcoat and Mrs. Signey Tofte